Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-07-28
DIR McGLYNN VIEWS.
UsnIpation- Examples of Catholic In.
reference in Politics.
New YORK, July q


A remarkable article by Rev. Edward Nc
Glynn, entitled "The new Know Nothingism
and the old" appears in the August number
of the North American Review, issued to-
day. 1t is vivid presentation of the evils
and dangers which, in the writer's opinion,
threaten the American nationality and Amer
lean institutions from, as he alleges, new
purpose of the German clergymen to prevent
the assimilation of their countrymen and
their offspring to the American type, on one
hand, and the political schemIng and the
sectarian educational tendencies of the Ro-
man Catholic church, on the other.
He says there is widespread and persist
ent effect, with scarcely any attempt to con-
ceal it, to increase the Catholic church in the
northwest The means toward the attain
ment of this is to multiply German church
schools and German parishes and to make
the multiplication of the latter an excuse and
a Justification for the appointment with the
aid of the German cardinals in Rome, of
German speaking bishops.
In the second part of his article he calls at.
tention to the evils and dangers likely to
come to American institutions through the
alleged political wire-pulling and sectariau
measures in education by the Catholic
church. DR.. McGlynn says;
There is now an avowed determination as
shown in the last council at Baltimore, to es.
| tablish all over the country great system OF
parochial schools in opposition to the public
| schools, and this is made the most urgent
duty of the priests, under threats of excom.
munication. The hope is not concealed tha,
when the Catholic church shall become
| larger politicians may be induced to appro.
pirate through the State election or the local
| government all the funds necessary for the
support of these schools. This has already
been accomplished in New Haven and else
where. Another thing which is proposed by
| a general election is the appropriation of val
liable public lands and millions of dollars OF
public money to support all manner of sec.
tartan institutions under the control of the
Roman Catholic church.
Continuing, the writer says that it is moi
risking much to say that if there were nc
public schools there would be very few psro.
chial schools, and the Catholic children, fol
all the churchmen would do for them, would
grow up ignorant.
pr. McGlynn next takes up the actual ant
direct interference in politics of the bishops
vicar generals and priests. He illustrate. by
citing case OF the late Vicar General Quinr
of New York, in directing the priests to use
their influence to defeat constitutional amend
ments, also the letter of Preston TO Joseph J.
O'Donovan on the late mayoralty campaign
recent instructions to himself not 10 speak al
political meetings, the abuse of the confes.
sional in the interest of certain political
measures, and the effect of Archbishop Cor.
rigan to defeat the call for constitutional
convention as well as his similar action wher
bishop of Newark.
We find an extraordinary state of indiffer.
ence Of the old political parties to these dan.
gers and their actual cooperation in bring.
ing about this state of things, through legis.
lative action. The article concludes with 0
pointing out of the lines upon which the
remedy must be carried out. Briefly these
are, efforts for the rights of conscience, sep
aration of church and State, making of thi.
country beacon Of liberty and refuge to the
oppressed of all the nations of the world
abolishing of all privileges granted by public
authority to individuals or corporations,
whether civil or religious, and Of full taxa.
tion of property of all such corporations
without exception in favor of any church,
charity or schools and the conduct of the gov.
ernment in ali things absolutely for the pub
lie, that is, for the common good, or in
other words for the most and never for an in
dividual or class. Have only common
schools and they should be supported from
the common treasury. Only the common
language Of the country should be taught in
the common schools.